What did you just read?
- Thread starter Fippy Darkpaw
- Start date
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Guest, it's time once again for the massively important and exciting FoH Asshat Tournament!
Go here and give us your nominations!Who's been the biggest Asshat in the last year? Give us your worst ones!
Void
BAU BAU
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It used to be an issue when people had to scan and OCR them manually, but nowadays the downloaded retail .epub files seem to convert flawlessly with Calibre. About the only time something is screwy is if there is a chart, like shitty lit rpg books (yes, I read them too!) that give a character sheet and it is either too small to see, or too large to fit on a page. And some pictures, but rarely. Other than that, text-wise, I haven't noticed any problems in several years now.
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TJT
Mr. Poopybutthole
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I admit this happend a lot in 2010-2013 or so. But I haven't had a bad epub to mobi conversion in many years now
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Randin
Trakanon Raider
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Life in a Medieval Castle by Frances Gies and Joseph Gies, and The Knight in History also by Frances Gies. History books that are, well, exactly what they say on the covers. They're on the shorter side, so not massive time commitments, but that also means they're not large enough to really be deep dives into their subjects. Even so, the information's good, and they're very readable. You might not get a lot out of them if you're already knowledgeable on their subjects, but they're excellent as more introductory books.
Republic of Thieves by Scott Lynch. Book 3 of the Gentleman Bastards series. The continuing adventures of conman and thief Locke Lamora, where he gets strong-armed into rigging an election on behalf of the setting's resident guild of terrifying mages. They toss in a weird fucking twist with this one that is clearly a setup for future books--which in a lesser book would've made me throw up my hands at how fucking out of left field it felt--but this series so far has been strong enough that I'm willing to see where Lynch goes with it. Aside from that, this continues to be a fun series that I'm thoroughly enjoying.
Republic of Thieves by Scott Lynch. Book 3 of the Gentleman Bastards series. The continuing adventures of conman and thief Locke Lamora, where he gets strong-armed into rigging an election on behalf of the setting's resident guild of terrifying mages. They toss in a weird fucking twist with this one that is clearly a setup for future books--which in a lesser book would've made me throw up my hands at how fucking out of left field it felt--but this series so far has been strong enough that I'm willing to see where Lynch goes with it. Aside from that, this continues to be a fun series that I'm thoroughly enjoying.
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Ukerric
Bearded Ape
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And serious books as well. Anything relatively scientific is a pain in ebook form, as most of the time, the charts and illustrations end up cut to the side or, in one case, I only had the top of the illustration at the end of the page, and no illustration on the next - I needed to use calibre's on-computer reader to check them.
So, those books are the ones I purchase in dead tree mulch form.
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Ukerric
Bearded Ape
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There is one publication pipeline at Orbit that is bad - conversion of their ebooks gives me an epub where every paragraph is on its own page. It systematically happens for 2 specific authors, which makes me suspect that their authoring software suite interacts badly with Orbit's in-house tools.
That's an Orbit ebook, see above.
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Kharzette
Watcher of Overs
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Just read Salvation from Hamilton. It is sort of part spy / action / cop thriller, part lovey teenage drama.
It feels similar to the commonwealth books, but there are subtle differences.
The action stuff is great. The mystery stuff in the story is great. The teenage soldiers trained by futanari elves bit usually put me to sleep.
I started on the second book and it has been really great so far.
It feels similar to the commonwealth books, but there are subtle differences.
The action stuff is great. The mystery stuff in the story is great. The teenage soldiers trained by futanari elves bit usually put me to sleep.
I started on the second book and it has been really great so far.
Feanor
Karazhan Raider
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TJT
Mr. Poopybutthole
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Last chapter of Infinite Realms on Royal Road was really, really good. I kind of suspected something like that was going on. But I absolutely did not expect what Zach did about it. Really making him into an interesting character instead of a really boring Paladin type character. Glad to see it.
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Ukerric
Bearded Ape
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The author did a bit of a fake-out earlier
By making it possible that the Warden Chief would be the Night Horror - female, and waiting for the report - but a lot of people called out Quell being it.
He's still a Paladin. But he's interested in redemption rather than avenging.
And of course the higher up at the Wardens actually agree with the Night Horror philosophy. Yikes.
He's still a Paladin. But he's interested in redemption rather than avenging.
And of course the higher up at the Wardens actually agree with the Night Horror philosophy. Yikes.
Ritley
Bronze Baron of the Realm
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It was so painfully obvious that it was quell, and after he locked the part of himself that protects the ones whom he loves it was also obvious he wasn’t going to be able to kill her either. Didn’t expect her to go adventuring with her or anything though
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Campbell1oo4
Ahn'Qiraj Raider
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Notes from Underground and The Double by Fyodor Dostoevsky
** spoiler alert ** Fyodor Dostoyevsky's 'Notes from Underground' should be taught in highschool classes, because the soul of this text is more important than ever. In the Narrator, we see the same foundation-less sickness spreading through American society. He is a man without religion or morality, and so drifts without direction through life. He finds no human connection, nor satisfaction and sinks into the depths of St Petersburg's underground.
The second half of this book is a story called 'The Double.' It packs a less philosophical punch than 'Notes from Underground' but is still a fever-dream that demands the reader turn the page until the very end.
Why are these two stories, seemingly so different, bounded together in one book? Because 'Notes from Underground' deals with a man drifting through modern society, a product of a system without inherent morality. 'The Double' shows another victim of this system, who over the course of his story breaks down mentally. The difference is in the approach, as the protagonist in 'The Double' holds to some morality. Nevertheless he is broken down by a system that transforms people into copies of each other, not caring for their individualism. Only their productivity.
** spoiler alert ** Fyodor Dostoyevsky's 'Notes from Underground' should be taught in highschool classes, because the soul of this text is more important than ever. In the Narrator, we see the same foundation-less sickness spreading through American society. He is a man without religion or morality, and so drifts without direction through life. He finds no human connection, nor satisfaction and sinks into the depths of St Petersburg's underground.
The second half of this book is a story called 'The Double.' It packs a less philosophical punch than 'Notes from Underground' but is still a fever-dream that demands the reader turn the page until the very end.
Why are these two stories, seemingly so different, bounded together in one book? Because 'Notes from Underground' deals with a man drifting through modern society, a product of a system without inherent morality. 'The Double' shows another victim of this system, who over the course of his story breaks down mentally. The difference is in the approach, as the protagonist in 'The Double' holds to some morality. Nevertheless he is broken down by a system that transforms people into copies of each other, not caring for their individualism. Only their productivity.
TJT
Mr. Poopybutthole
- 42,771
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Well, she's also a Cthulhu squid face now as opposed to a sexy demon chick with a tail. Might be an interesting buddy cop thing? From what Big Warden said the other High Rankers like Eratemus the Lich and the yet unmet ones in their little Illuminati group are a bunch of assholes. I guess the entire point of their club is to intentionally keep others down? While the Sea Captain, the wandering monk guy and Big Warden don't really see it that way.
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Ukerric
Bearded Ape
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The most likely one is of course Farrah. She died around chapter 110 in the first astral space fight, before they went to the sunken city and met Shade (in ch. 157).
(and, as foreshadowing, in chapter 138... “So you’re saying,” Gary said, “that if we convince this Reaper to give her up, we can bring Farrah back?”)
(and, as foreshadowing, in chapter 138... “So you’re saying,” Gary said, “that if we convince this Reaper to give her up, we can bring Farrah back?”)
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The White Company, by Arthur Conan Doyle. It's a lesser-known book of his, but I enjoyed it. It takes place in the 1300's, where war, chivalry, jousting, etc is daily life. I listened to the Audiobook and the narrator did an amazing job, using difference voices for each character.
Sir Nigel, also by Conan Doyle, was written after The White Company, but is actually a prequel to it. I'm listening to it now. It has a different narrator who is not nearly as talented as the other guy.
Sir Nigel, also by Conan Doyle, was written after The White Company, but is actually a prequel to it. I'm listening to it now. It has a different narrator who is not nearly as talented as the other guy.
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Ukerric
Bearded Ape
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For funsies, Sir Nigel Loring and Sam Aylward are major characters in the Emberverse series by S. M. Stirling. Pretty much the entire cast is there (John Hordle, Alleyne, ...)